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Tangled SkeinThe

The Newsletter of the Ottawa Knitting Guild October 2013

How to knit mittens

Make your knitting better with research

Karen Kauth WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH

vENDOR’S NIGHT preview

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October 218:00 PM

Vendors Night7:00 pm

Stitch doctor207 WOODROFFE AVENUE

WOODROFFE UNITED CHURCH

The copyright for each article in The Tangled Skein belongs to its respective author. Do not reprint or redistribute anywhere else without the author’s express permission.

In This Issue3 Knitting with Kathy 3 Upcoming Meetings4 Stitch Doctor4 Knit and Learn Group4 October Workshop5 Vendor’s Night Is A Must See!5 Advertising Rates6 Knitting in Literature7 In Memory of Karen Krzyzewski7 Charity Knitting8 Ottawa Knitting Guild Charity Knitting Report 2012-20139 Fabric Flea Market Ottawa 20139 Rose Haven Goes to Ecuador10 Fibrefest 201311 The Practicing Knitter: Research11 Contributions12 Experience Is What You Get When You Don’t Read14 Deciphering Mittens18 Show & Tell: September 201333 The End of the Skein35 Ottawa Knitting Guild Workshops with Deb Gemmell Registration Information36 Ottawa Knitting Guild Workshops with Deb Gemmell Registration Form

Happy Thanksgiving! We can’t wait to see you all at Vendor’s Night on Monday. It is going to be wonderful. Be sure to bring a friend and pass along the loveliness that is our Guild. Read on for more info on Vendor’s Night, using research to enhance your knitting, and how to make mittens. (So many good things this month!)

See you soon,Amanda Schwabe, Newsletter Coordinator

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Knitting with Kathy By Kathy McEwen, President

I am currently sitting in my comfy chair by the fire at my cottage on a dreary rainy day, knitting a tail for a dragon (yes, a dragon, but more on that later), listening to the Vinyl Cafe on CBC radio and trying to come up with a theme for this month’s column.

I have been thinking about what I like to knit and who I knit for. During a lot of the year, I tend to knit for myself, but I really enjoy knitting for others, especially things that they request. The only real exception to this is socks. I still knit six to ten pairs of socks a year, but I don’t really enjoy them anymore.

The reason for this is that the first year that I got seriously back into knitting, I knit twenty-two pairs of socks. All of my family received a pair for Christmas that year, and myself and my youngest daughter got many pairs. My mother and sister now expect socks regularly for birthdays and Christmas.

I got tired of socks after that year, but I still make them because my family keeps requesting them, and I love wearing hand-knit socks.

Over the summer, as requested by my daughter, I knit three stuffed animals -- an elephant, a giraffe, and a monkey -- for a baby shower gift, and I really enjoyed making them. After those, a niece (age 24) requested a giraffe (I brought it to the September Guild meeting) which she loves, and she told me her sister (age 26) was jealous and could I make her a dragon?... Which is why I am currently knitting a cute little dragon.

The next stuffed animal is a moose for my youngest

niece, who is ten. I would also like to knit a penguin for myself and a koala for my daughter who is in Australia, but these will have to wait.I am now looking ahead to Christmas and determining what I need to knit for the holidays: my mother requested a shawl, which I have finished; and my brother-in-law needed a Christmas stocking, which I have also finished. Next on my list are socks for my sister (my mother’s are already done), mittens for my sister and my niece, a hat and mitts for my oldest daughter, and something for my father and father-in-law, which I haven’t figured out yet. Hopefully, I can get these organized and won’t be finishing a scarf for my father on Christmas Eve like last year.

I hope I will see everyone at the Vendors’ Night event!

Kathy

guild news

Upcoming MeetingsOctober 21, 8pmVendors’ NightLibrary closed

November 18 Megan Goodacre, author and designer

December 16Laurie Chochinov, Master Knitting

January 20 Sally Melville, Knit to Flatter and Fit

February 10

March 17

April 14 Nancy Bush

May 12 Knitting Challenge Winners / Annual Meeting

June 16Yarn Swap

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Stitch DoctorBy Elizabeth Payne

Bring some waste yarn and needles, or bring your knitting and pattern, and come to the Stitch Doctor from 7 pm until 7:30 pm (before the Guild meeting) in the Friendship Room, off the main corridor near the back of the church. If you are having problems and/or you are interested in some new, improved ways of doing things, or you have suggestions for other knitters, come and meet informally to enrich your knitting experiences and gain new confidence to tackle new projects.

October ~ The topic for this month is Entrelac Knitting. This technique involves knitting composed of slanted rectangles and requires only simple maneuvers including knit, purl, and picking up

stitches.

Due to the regular Guild meeting starting late, the additional time available for this Stitch Doctor session will allow for a more involved introduction to this technique. Bring some waste yarn and double- pointed needles to practice.

Ideas/problems for discussion are welcome for future Stitch Doctor sessions.

Knit and Learn GroupBy Elizabeth Payne

Come join us to knit together on the second Thursday of each month at the Nepean Museum on Rowley Street off Meadowlands, a few blocks west of Merivale Road, from 10 am to noon. The meetings for this year will be held on October 10, November 14, and December 12.

This group provides Guild members, no matter their level of knitting experience, with an opportunity to informally knit together; exchange ideas, knitting experiences, and friendship; and has the added advantage of obtaining information and help from experienced and Master Knitters.

October WorkshopBy Laurie Chochinov

The Ottawa Knitting Guild is offering a one-day workshop with Deb Gemmell on October 28th. A specialist in no-sew knitting, Deb is co-author of many pattern books, most recently Need an Accessory and Need a Plus Size Cardigan. The “Need a ...” books provide pattern variations on a theme, adapting to different yarn types and gauges. Deb and her sister Lynda run Cabin Fever, a full-service knitting business based in Woodville, Ontario, selling yarn and patterns and organizing knitting events. Cabin Fever is also the source for Shelridge Farm yarns.

Deb will be leading two half-day workshops:

Monday, October 28, 9:00 – 12:00

V-Neck Top Down: 3 hours Beginner/Intermediate Level knitter

Put a V-Neck on a top-down teddy-bear-sized rag-lan cardigan. After knitting this small sweater, you will know all the techniques necessary to knit a larger version. You will learn how to use short rows to change the neckline of any square-necked top-down pattern into a V or scoop neck. Imagine the possibilities. Based on the Baby V and Button Up Your Top Down books by Cabin Fever.

Supplies: DK weight yarn, 4.0 mm circular needle (60cm long), 4.0 mm double-pointed needles, markers, sewing-up needle.

Monday, October 28, 1:00 – 4:00

The Amazing I-Cord: 3 hours Beginner/ Intermediate Level Knitter

I-cord can be added to many of your knitted projects. It makes a tiny tube which is incredibly versatile. You can work an I-cord cast on and cast off. You can add it to your garter-stitch garments

for a lovely finished edge, work buttonhole loops, finish a hat with a tail on the top like a French beret, or make ties on a hat with flaps. We’ll discover many more uses as we work in class.

Supplies: 50g of worsted weight yarn, 4.5 mm straight needles and a 4.5 mm set of double-pointed needles.

Cost: $35 for a 3-hour session (includes morning or afternoon refreshments)

$60 for the full day (includes refreshments and sandwich lunch)

Location: 30 Norice Street, Nepean.

To reserve your spot, please complete the registration form and send it, with your payment, to Kathy McEwen, 43 Starwood Road, Nepean, ON, K2G 1Y9.

Due to the size of the venue, registration will be restricted to 12 knitters per session. Priority will be given to those who register for a full day. Registration must be received by October 22nd.

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Vendor’s Night Is A Must See!By Valerie McLaughlin

Vendors Night is quickly approaching, and it is shaping up to be an exciting night, filled with yarn, fibre, spindles, buttons, and other knitting accessories!

Instead of regular Guild programming, vendors will take over this month’s meeting on October 21. They will be selling yarn, fibre and other notions. It is strongly suggested buyers bring cash as most of these vendors won’t have the capacity to accept debit or credit. Vendors Night will be starting at 8 p.m.

Confirmed vendors include:

Please Stand By Yarns. Lillian Trudeau will be selling semi-solid yarn as well as self-striping yarn based on beloved television shows. Knitters wanting

matching striped socks can be assured their socks will match when knitting with Lillian’s yarn.

Cosmos Yarns. Angela McInnis has her own line of yarn, made out of fibre farmed by Canadian wool producers. Her yarn is produced locally at a mill in Osgoode. As well as hand-dying yarn, she also hand-dyes roving.

Riverside Studios. Kathryn Dysdale will be bringing her hand-dyed yarn and possibly some of her yummy hand-dyed fibre.

Yvieknits Yarns. Yvonne will be displaying her hand-dyed beauties. For all you shawl knitters out there, this is a good opportunity to pick up some sock- or lace-weight yarn for any future projects you have planned.

Turtlepurl Yarns and Notions returns. Genevieve, known for her brightly dyed yarn with unique names, will be coming with various goodies. Be sure to stop at her table because you never know

what you’ll see!

Judy Kavanagh, who spins and knits, will likely be bringing some of her handcrafted spindles and fibre. If you’ve always wanted to learn spindle spinning, stopping by her booth is a must.

Sheeps Ahoy. If you are a Fair Isle knitter, stopping by Debbie’s booth should be on the top of your shopping list. Debbie sells various Jamieson and Jamieson and Smith Shetland yarns as well as other sock- and lace-weight yarns.

Evelyn Davis has buttons of all different shapes and sizes. If you’ve got a garment that needs buttons, bring it along and see if Evelyn can help you find the perfect buttons.

Laura Sheppard will have handcrafted buttons as well as yarn bowls and knitting needle vases for sale. Laura is both a knitter and a potter. She has turned her passions into a business. If you are looking for a special button for a special project,

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Advertising Rates

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this may be the table for you.

Fine Fibre Finds. Julie takes recycling to a whole different level as she finds garments made out of natural fibres, unravels them, and makes yarn skeins. You will never know what you’ll find when you stop by Julie’s booth.

BuntART will have a table of treasures for sale. Anja, a talented knitter, spinner, dyer and crocheter, will be bringing lots of goodies with her.

Wool n’ Things. Gisele, who owns this Orleans yarn store, will be coming with lots of yarny treasures from her shop. For those who live in the west end and aren’t able to get to Orleans, this is the perfect opportunity to shop and see what this east-end store has to offer.

Just Knitting. Kelly, who has transitioned from a brick-and-mortar store to an online business, will be at Vendor’s Night. She’ll surely have some fine yarn

for sale.

Nancy Moynihan has been working on her stock all summer in anticipation for Vendor’s Night. She’ll have patterns she’s designer herself for sale as well as handmade buttons and knitting accessories.

Wool-Tyme will be in the house, bringing along some yarny treasures to be squeezed and fondled. Be sure to stop by and say hello.

Megan Goodacre, who runs an online store called Tricksy Knitter, will be selling her notebooks and needle gauges. Megan, who is a relatively new guild member, is also a talented designer.

Jaime Girard has recently begun selling her kettle-dyed yarn through her business called Violette Yarn Co. She is excited to sell to her fellow Guild members.

Shelana Fiber Arts. Natalie sells hand-dyed yarn

for knitting, crocheting, and weaving and also sells hand-dyed scarves.

Yarn Forward. You never know what the good folks at Yarn Forward will bring to Vendor’s Night, so be sure to stop by and check out their goodies!

Due to circumstances beyond the Guild’s control, the event will operate a bit differently than in past years. The show will start at 8 pm, not at 7:30 pm. While the Guild recognizes the late start is not ideal, we don’t have access to the church’s meeting room until 7 pm. We need time for vendors to set up. We are politely asking shoppers not to enter the room until 8 pm. Please note the meeting room’s doors will be closed to shoppers until the event starts.

To deal with the short turnaround time, we need volunteers to prepare the room prior to the arrival of vendors and to assist any vendors with their set up. If you can help, please send me an email at januarygalval@hotmail.com.

Knitting in LiteratureContributed by D. Susak

“Margo, on seeing the (three) owlets, went into raptures. She had just acquired the art of knitting and, with lavish generosity, offered to knit anything I wanted for the owls. I toyed with the idea of having them all dressed in identical, striped pullovers but discarded this as impractical and reluctantly refused the kind suggestion. “Leslie’s offer of help was more practical. He said he would shoot a supply of sparrows for me. I asked whether he could do this every day.” from The Garden of the Gods, by Gerald Durrell (1978)

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In Memory of Karen Krzyzewski

I am deeply saddened to find myself writing the following words. Karen Krzyzewski was a very good friend, and I lost her in the horrible bus-train crash on September 18, 2013. We met 17 years ago. I will miss her tremendously. It is still hard to believe it really happened.

Karen was a skilled and long-time knitter. Not too long ago, she knitted a stuffed owl for her great-niece that wowed her family. Some of her family were inspired by Karen to take up knitting.

For Karen, knitting was a social activity. Karen and I encouraged and challenged each other to take on new and more difficult projects. Most recently, we were taking an on-line lace-knitting workshop together. We liked to attend the Stitch Doctor sessions before each Guild meeting, after having dinner together at Carlingwood, and were always thrilled to learn something new. Knitting was a hobby that helped Karen lead a rich life.

- Aurora Richard

Charity KnittingBy Debi Brown

The Ottawa Knitting Guild supports and encourages its members to donate surplus yarn and/or knit items for donation. Some of the charities that we are aware of include:

1. Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario: accepting washable blankets/afghans 36 by 40 inches or larger. (The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario is an academic paediatric hospital providing leading-edge treatment, diagnostic, and laboratory services for children and youth aged 0 to 18 years.)

2. Cornerstone: accepting washable hats, mitts, socks, and afghans for

women (Cornerstone provides emergency shelter

and supportive housing for homeless women in Ottawa. )

3. First Place Options: accepting soft, washable baby blankets, cribsize. (First Place is a non-profit agency offering compassionate support and assistance to anyone facing an unplanned pregnancy. First Place Pregnancy Centre is non-profit & non-political. Their focus is not on the past, but on the future.)

4. Ottawa Mission: accepting washable mitts, hats, scarves, socks, and afghans for men. (The Ottawa Mission is a non-profit, faith-based ministry, meeting the needs of the homeless and those at risk of being homeless in the Ottawa region.)

5. Out of the Cold: accepting washable mitts, hats, scarves, socks, and afghans for men. (Drop-in centre for men.)

6. Ronald MacDonald House: accepting mitts, hats, scarves and socks for children and teens. (Ottawa’s Ronald McDonald House is a “Home-Away-From-Home” for families with children suffering from cancer or other serious illnesses being treated at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.)

7. The Snowsuit Fund: accepting mitts, hats, and socks for children and teens. (The Snowsuit Fund is an Ottawa-based charity that raises funds for the purchase and distribution of snowsuits to needy children, 15 years and under, in our community.)

8. Warm Hands Network: gathering and shipping hats, socks, mittens, gaiters, sweaters, and blankets. (Innu children of Northern Labrador. Items will be distributed through a collective of Innu women in the communities themselves. They especially need stuff for kids aged 5 to 15, but they

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would also like baby blankets and items for the younger set.

9. The Well Drop-In Centre: accepting washable mitts, hats, and scarves for children and women. (The Well is a Day Program for Women and Women with Children and provides a safe, supportive environment and assists with access to community resources.)

10. Ottawa Humane Society: accepting “cat blankets.” Use up your stash and scraps; blankets should be the size of a place mat and of washable materials.

We accept donated yarn and you are welcome to pick some out and turn it into an article for one of the above charities.

If you know of a charity that would accept donated knitted goods, please let the coordinator know.

Thank you for the following donations received in June and September:

Sandra Smith – 15 kitten blankets for the Humane Society

Christine Anderson – 1 hat for the Snowsuit Fund

Linda Williams – 4 hats for the Snowsuit Fund

Jeannie Turcotte – 3 pairs of mitts, 3 scarves, 3 hats, 6 pairs of socks for The Well

Linda Vervacke – 11 hats, 10 toques, 1 pair of mitts, 2 scarves for the Snowsuit Fund

Julia Yeung – 1 baby sweater, 4 baby hats for First Place Options, 1 adult hat for The Well

If you have any questions or donations, please do not hesitate to contact me.

If you are interested in becoming the Coordinator, delivering knitted goods, or storing “the stash,” please DO NOT hesitate to come forward. I have been the coordinator for five years and am willing to hand the title and job over to anyone who is interested in taking over.

Contact:Debi BrownCharity Donations CoordinatorBrown111@sympatico.ca

Ottawa Knitting Guild Charity Knitting Report 2012-2013By Debi Brown

The number of reported donations to charities through the Ottawa Knitting Guild were down this year, but that does not diminish the efforts of those who donated finished goods or yarn from their stash, or the appreciation of the individuals who received projects.

In 2012-2013 a total of 141 items were donated and distributed as follows:

* First Place Pregnancy – 9 baby blankets, 7 baby hats, 1 scarf, 1 hoodie;

* CHEO – 4 blankets;

* The Well Drop-in Centre – 10 adult scarves, 3 adult hats, 1 child hat, 1 shrug, 6 pairs of children’s socks, 1 pair of ladies socks;

* Snowsuit Fund – 3 pairs mitts, 48 hats, 5 scarves, 3 cowls;

* Civic Hospital Neonatal Unit – 5 preemie hats, 2 sets of preemie hats, mitts, and booties;

* Out of the Cold – 1 men’s sweater;

* Warm Hands Network – 2 sweaters, 1 vest, 12 pairs of socks;

* Ottawa Humane Society – 15 kitty blankets.

That totals 15 kitty blankets, 1 vest, 2 sweaters, 3 cowls, 5 pairs of mitts, 19 pairs of socks, 1 shrug, 16 scarves, 66 hats, and 13 blankets.

These items were contributed by Christine Anderson, Mary Arscott, Kathy Carty, Peigi Dumouchel, Nicole Hadskis, Peggy Holton, Suzanne Lesage, Kathy McEwen, Louise Moore, Nancy Onlock, Marion Ross, Gina Smart, Sandra Smith, Diane Susak, Ann Thacker, Jeannie Turcotte, Joan Turnball, Linda Vervacke, Linda Williams, Nancy Wright and an anonymous individual(s).

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Fabric Flea Market Ottawa 2013The annual Fabric Flea Market is on Saturday, October 19 at the Glebe Community Centre (175 3rd Avenue at Lyon), from 10am to 2pm. Admission$2.00. Support Cambridge Street Public School and find bargains galore: fabric, yarn, patterns, buttons, and other needlework supplies. Donations of saleable materials are welcome at the school (250 Cambridge Street) between 9am and 1pm before October 18. For more information contact thefabricfleamarket@gmail.com.

Rose Haven Goes to EcuadorBy Linda Swaine

By now, many of you may know that I have arranged to sell Rose Haven Farm Store to Lesley Snyder of Prince Edward County, with the transfer to occur on November 17. I am now 67 and have worked for fifty years, and rarely in the last twenty years have I had time to explore textile arts like all my customers do. Yes, I have had some great travels, but I am now looking forward to a new adventure. On December 11, I leave for my new home in Ecuador.

I have bought an adobe house on 3.4 acres in a rural area north of Latacunga in the Cotopaxi Region south of Quito. I will be in the Andes at about 8,500 feet elevation, with a temperature range of 10 - 20 C and a low of -2 C. So, no more serious winter -- even Canna Lilies and Hibiscus survive throughout the year.

My hopes are to create a little studio for myself and then to get back into serious gardening. A vegetable

community news

garden (raised beds for us older folks), another for a dye garden (I always wanted to experiment) and then a medicinal garden -- my very own aloe and other goodies. I also hope to add a third bedroom so I can offer a little B & B experience; some of you may know that I ran one for five years on my last farm. And I’ve always wanted to grow lavender, so that’s another idea.

And then, perhaps something in the textile arena. I have watched the local women drop spindling while moving their cattle! I know alpacas are raised in the hills, and a little llama lives down the lane, along with some sheep. And who knows what more? I am very much hoping to create a place that works with the community and is welcoming to travelling fibre friends.

Meanwhile, Lesley, the upcoming owner, is a good twenty years younger than me,

lively, and very artsy. She is a knitter, felter, and spinner,

and a graduate of Sheridan College. For the last several years, she has run her own little retail shop called Galloping Goat and has marketed her knitting and nuno felt wear through Arts on Main in Picton.

She will be keeping Rose Haven in Picton but with a few changes. The new name is Rose Haven Yarn Shop and the new website is www.rosehavenyarn.com. She already has this site up and running as a website / blog and the beginnings of an online shop.

Lesley’s hopes are to keep the general theme of the shop and, of course, to listen to her customers in terms of needs, new products, and services.

If you are interested in what I am doing, wish to be kept informed, or maybe even come to Ecuador, please follow me on my current website: www.rosehavenfarm.net. In the next few weeks, it will morph into “Rose Haven and Linda go to Ecuador,” and I hope it will become a fun and enjoyable experience for those who tag along.

Keep on knitting, and all the best for the future!

an Ecuadorian adobe house

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Fibrefest 2013By Amanda Schwabe

I always love Fibrefest. My friend Annie and I have been attending religiously every fall for the last four years or so. Sometimes, we have babies in tow, and sometimes, like this year, we experience the glorious freedom of a Girls’ Day Out.

Giddy and much more carefree than usual, we stopped first for a pumpkin spice latte, then headed to the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum in Almonte. We were surprised to find that things had changed this year! The Knitting Guild booth wasn’t there, and neither were any vendors. Instead, we found a musty-smelling exhibit.

Annie wanted to look at it, so I reluctantly agreed. It was her day out, too, after all. As I followed her through the exhibit of the history of wool and milling in Almonte, the smell gradually receded, and my interest grew.

There were all sorts of interesting old machines: carders full of prickly rolls that we could touch, racks of spikes that organized cones of yarn, looms, fullers, and cabinets with tiny drawers. It was an antique lover’s heaven. There were a couple

gigantic machines that I could very happily picture in a studio of my very own.

Next, we wandered downstairs to look at a collection of one woman’s handicrafts that was on display. She used to sell her hand-embroidered items, I believe. They were amazing. We oohed and ahhed over her delicate stitchwork, marvelling at how even and perfect everything looked. A machine could not have done better.

Then, we were ready to go find the vendors. Again, we were surprised by a change, this time in venue. Instead of directing us to the agricultural hall, the map sent us to a curling rink/arena. It was wonderful! In previous years, the vendors had been split between two different locations; this year, they were all together in one huge location. This meant no more anxiety about spending too much money at the first place, only to discover that the second place had better things for sale.

We started off by stopping at the OKG table, which was situated right near the entrance with some other guild tables. It sounded like they were having lots of fun, knitting and visiting with other attendees and occasionally taking a break to go look at the other booths.

Many of the local yarn shops were there, plus a lot of local wool producers. I had a chance to chat with the woman at Victory Farm Alpaca for a little while, and it was exciting to hear about their new dyed yarn lines. I, of course, petted all the items on the table while we talked. I also had great chats with the women from Wabi Sabi, Turtlepurl, and Riverside Studios.

Besides yarn, there were booths about quilting, felting, weaving, bobbin lacemaking, and rug making. The Button Club was also there, and there were tables and tables of tiny, shiny treasures. If I’m not careful, button collecting could easily become another obsession for me.

Every year, I’m amazed by the skill and variety exhibited at Fibrefest. I wish I’d had more time to linger and talk with the vendors this year, since it’s the people I talk to and the conversations we have that make every visit so wonderful. But before we knew it, it was time to leave. I had a baby shower to attend and a bit of last-minute knitting to do on the drive there.

On our way out of Almonte, we stopped at the local, amazing coffee shop whose name I always forget, so we ended our trip perfectly: a day of knitting encompassed by a happy haze of caffeine.

articles

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The Practicing Knitter: ResearchBy Laurie Chochinov

The first sweater I ever made began with the following sentence:

With smaller needles cast on 89 sts.

What a range of questions this brief sentence raises. Why start with smaller needles? What kind of needles should I use? How do I cast on? What does “sts” mean? More to the point, how do we knitters learn to interpret this sentence, or any other instructions we are using? The answer is research.

It’s strange to think that knitters will spend time researching when they could be knitting. But, the number of books specialising in techniques, stitch patterns and basic knitting skills published over the past decade or more proves that there is an interest in knitting research. Knitting is no longer primarily passed down from generation to generation through hands-on teaching and an oral tradition. Knitters can now go to books and

magazines for information on techniques, stitch patterns, and skills.

Why do we take the time to research? We do it to improve our knitting. For example, many of us began our knitting career learning one cast on and one bind off from another knitter. However, some knitters don’t have a source for hands-on instruction. Others have realized that cast ons and bind offs have regional variations. Others have determined that there are ways to cast on or bind off that work better for different kinds of fabric or garments. So, now we have reference books that give us a choice. What difference a picot cast on can make to a shawl or scarf compared to a long-tail cast on. Changing a bind off from stiff to stretchy can make all the difference in how a toe-up sock gets over your foot. A little bit of time spent researching how to start or end your knitting can have a tremendous impact on the finished product.

So, once you get started on a project, there’s no need for further research, right? Not necessarily. Another area where research helps is with the embellishments you add to your knitting. The simplest example is changing a stitch pattern. With the proliferation of stitch-pattern dictionaries, it’s

no longer necessary to work everything in garter or stockinette. One of the classic stitch dictionaries is Barbara G. Walker’s A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. Originally published in 1968, this is a go-to book for those who want to add texture and interest to their work . As Barbara says, it helps knitters “raise what is otherwise a mere craft to the height of a real art.” “Anyone who knows just four basic knitting operations: how to knit, how to purl, how to make a yarn-over and how to use a cable-needle” has the ability to enhance and personalize any knitted item.

Then, there is the whole range of knitting techniques that research can teach. Who hasn’t been impressed when they saw the difference between a “knit 2 together” and a “slip slip knit” decrease? Knowing that the type of decrease used at a neckline or armhole can improve the look of a sweater is very important. You can also learn how to pick up stitches for a neck band so that it doesn’t buckle or pucker. Of course, there’s always the opportunity to pick the best buttonhole for a cardigan, just by looking up the variations.

Now, what about the basics? What research is necessary just to get started? Let’s begin with

ContributionsWould you like to write for The Tangled Skein? We would love to hear from you! It’s the members’ contributions that make this newsletter so wonderful and diverse. Send us anything about knitting -- a pattern, an article, a poem, and website review, a pattern or book review, a photo that you took, a tale of a knitting adventure. Whatever you can think of, we’d love to read it!

Send your contributions to Amanda, the editor, at amandaschwabe@sympatico.ca.

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abbreviations used in a pattern. As I noted when I began this article, the instructions for my sweater said to cast on 89 sts. Nowhere in the pattern does it tell me what “sts” means. Nor does it even explain the P or the K used throughout the instructions. The band of the sweater is seed stitch, but there’s no information on what seed stitch is. If it hadn’t been for my mother, I’d have been lost. These days, I’d be able to do some research and figure everything out before I started. Most publications have glossaries defining the standard abbreviations used in all the patterns. Even if you can’t find the abbreviation in the pattern you are reading, a little research can find it somewhere else.

Finally, there’s the concept of learning to knit from a book. Many books and magazines now include the basic knitting techniques in the introduction/forward to the book. Illustrations and written instructions help the novice learn how to cast on, knit, purl, and so on. Authors do not assume that the knitter has come with a basic skill set.

Now that you understand the value of research for your knitting, how do you put it into practice? Well, the first thing to do is to try something out. Knitters

should always follow the same advice you get on a bottle of rug cleaner: test it in a small area where damage won’t be visible. Our testing area is the swatch. If you want to see how a stitch pattern looks, work a 6”x6” swatch to see. By the time you are done, you will know if it is an easy pattern to follow or if the instructions are too complicated. Would it be easier to follow if you charted the stitches? You’ll be able to see how the stitch pattern would look in a top-down garment, just by turning it upside down. You’ll also know if the yarn you’ve chosen will work with the pattern.

As you swatch, you can practice the other items you are researching. You can try different cast-on/bind-off techniques, pick up your stitches, test a button hole or two, and even practice seaming. All of this practice will improve the look of your knitted item when you begin in earnest.

As I’ve mentioned, there are many, many reference books on the market. The Ottawa Knitting Guild’s library has a number that can be borrowed by members. The books I currently use the most from my personal library are:

Techniques:

Sally Melville. The Knitting Experience Books 1, 2 & 3. XRX Books.

Sally Melville. Knitting Pattern Essentials. Potter Craft.

Cap Sease. Cast On, Bind Off. Martingale.

Charlene Schurch & Beth Parrott. The Sock Knitter’s Handbook. Martingale.

Vogue Knitting. The Ultimate Knitting Book. Sixth & Spring Books.

Stitch Patterns:

400 Knitting Stitches. New York, NY: Potter Craft.

Vogue Knitting. Stitchionaries 1,2,3 & 5. Sixth & Spring Books.

Walker, Barbara. A Treasury of Knitting Patterns (Volumes 1-4). Schoolhouse Press.

Experience Is What You Get When You Don’t ReadBy Karen Kauth

Not long ago, I posted on Facebook how I should have heeded the little voice that told me I should stop my knitting because I messed it up. The following month, I fell in love with a pattern. Different pattern, same voice, different advice: still a mediocre outcome.

Here’s the story:

Part 1

Picture this: Sicily, 1922… Ok, not that far back. The months are

June and July. I decide to knit a shawl. The pattern is well written and things are progressing nicely. Close to the end of this endeavour, I launch into the final series of lace pattern repeats. While watching some of my favorite detective stories, I discover that something’s not quite right. One would think that since I enjoy mysteries, I could heed a clue when it presents itself. Alas, no. Not this time. I proceed to knit on, believing that I can remedy the situation on the next row.

In theory, that might have worked, but it did not provide the desired outcome. About now is when I should have said, STOP! Document where you are within the pattern, put the knitting down, and walk away. Instead, I knit a few more rows, increasing 4 stitches every other row a few more times before I realized that the little voice is shrieking that I’ve

really buggered things up and should stop now because there is no way that you will ever let that thing see the light of day if it represents your knitting capabilities! This little voice, I think, is the same one that, when allowed to be externalized, is the one that uses profanity and insults. So, I shut it up by putting the knitting away for a while.

Part 2

August is here, and I choose a nice sunny day to finish up some unfinished business. I grab the shawl and pluck clods of cat fur from it before taking a good look at what damage I’ve inflicted on the poor thing. Well, a few sections look like they should, and parts within that... not so much. I decide to take it back a few rows. Now, lace is a fickle thing. One must be careful when unknitting yarnovers

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and ssks and k2togs, etc., so that stitches don’t get lost. Ripping back is not an option here. I am not a fast knitter, and this tinking is even slower. An entire episode of Inspector George Gently has played while I mend my not-so-handiwork. Eight rows, undone, stitch by stitch. I am now at a place where I can continue to knit.

Part 3

Since I am comfortable with where I am with the shawl, I give it a rest and become distracted with the new Fall editions of online pattern magazines. Of course, wouldn’t you know it? There is a pattern that I must start now -- because the shawl is good to go to finish -- and I can wear this new pattern for Fall if I start right away, and it’s not lace! So, I pay and download the pattern.

Part of the appeal of this pattern is its different construction. So, I begin the first section. I find a few spots that don’t look right. I check the pattern, check the key chart, and redo that troublesome row again. It still looks off. I continue to knit. Now, the funny thing is, the little voice did not scream,

“Are you a stupid bunny or what? Did you not learn from that pile of green lace to stop?” Instead, the little voice was wondering at its oddity, too.

I can fix this one, though. I check on Ravelry and there is an errata for the pattern -- already. Well, there was that problem fixed. I knit a whole new section. Great. Now section 2 is the mirror image of the first section. This time with errata, things are proceeding better until, until… I find a symbol that is not on the key chart! What? By now, another voice is wondering if I should be close to knitting needles right now. Why is this happening? Is it possible that there is a third mistake in the pattern? What will the rest of it be like? Do I want to continue knitting this, waiting for more surprises? I contact the magazine and the designer and yes, there is a third mistake. I am provided a link to the new and improved version and given an apology from both. There is still an error on there, but I’m not being paid to edit the bloody thing, so I let it go. Weeks pass, and I am provided with yet another download that includes the revisions, corrections, etc. The pattern is now on hold due to my frustration with how it is turning out.

So what happened here? Did I catch on to the mistakes in the new pattern because I learned from my previous fiasco? Was I so distracted while knitting the lace that I should have stopped more frequently to examine my work? I did learn that documenting a pattern is a good practice. I knew where I had left off within my work and could easily decipher what was happening, even though I had left it for weeks.

My experience has left me with a better sense of how I can expect a pattern to reveal itself, anticipating what the knitted outcome should be. Shortcuts are wonderful when used at the right time. If something I’ve knit is so flawed that it makes me uncomfortable, it needs to be resolved or not knit at all.

I leave you with this advice, from one knitter to another: trust your inner voice, the knitting inner voice. Let it speak to you on a friendly basis, and loud enough that it can drown out any other voices that may not agree with your knitting self.

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Deciphering MittensBy Amanda Schwabe

In honour of this year’s Knitting Challenge, we’re going to start a series of articles explaining the basic constructions of mittens, gloves, arm warmers/gauntlets, and hats.

As a knitter, having a foundational knowledge about their construction will help you to understand, correct, modify, or design your own projects. There’s nothing as frustrating as being unable to find “just the right pattern.” It’s much more fun, then, to be able to make just the right pattern on your own.

Let’s start with mittens. They have five basic segments: cuff, thumb gusset, hand, decrease at fingertips, and thumb.

Cuff:

The cuff is generally worked first. It makes a great working gauge swatch for your mitten, as well, since you can try it on as you go and make sure that it fits the way you want it to.

The easiest way to determine the number of stitches you will cast on is to measure your hand circumference, then multiply that by your stitches-per-inch gauge. For instance, if your hand measures 7” around, and your gauge is 4.5 sts per inch (a common worsted-weight gauge), you will cast on 7 x 4.5 = 31.5. Since we can’t cast on half a stitch, and it’s much easier to work with even numbers, we’ll round up to 32 sts to cast on.

Now you have the choice of working either flat or in the round. When working in the round, I prefer using two circular needles or the Magic Loop method, since then the stitches can be divided in half: one half for the back of hand, and one half for the palm stitches. If you prefer using dpn’s, you can divide the stitches onto four needles, using two needles for the back-of-hand stitches and two for the palm stitches.

Decide what type of cuff you’d like your mitten to have. There are two basic options: ribbed or straight. A ribbed cuff will pull in and fit snugly around the wrist; it’s good for wearing under jackets and keeping snow out of mittens. A straight cuff is made by working stockinette instead of ribbing; it’s better for shorter cuffs and bulkier yarns, or for mittens that need to be done quickly.

A ribbed cuff presents a couple more options: 1x1 ribbing will pull the cuff in a little, but 2x2 ribbing will make the cuff even more snug. You can work the knit stitches as twisted stitches (knitting them through the back loop) for some variety, or you can even cable them in the 2x2 ribbing, which will pull the cuff in even more.

To determine which ribbing to use, sometimes the answer is basic math. If your number of stitches is divisible by four, then 2x2 ribbing will work. If it is divisible by two only, then 1x1 ribbing will fit. A little extra planning and fiddling with the cast-on number will give you more control over cuff options. You might be surprised by how easy it can be to go up or down by a stitch or two and still get a good fit.

Cuff

Hand

Decrease at fingertips

Thumb

Thumb gusset

hand circumference

Note: The reason we use the hand circumference to determine the cast-on number instead of the wrist circumference is that generally, although wrists are smaller, they’re also worked in ribbing. Since the ribbing pulls the knitted fabric tighter, the smaller size of the wrist is made via the ribbing.

Other ways to make the wrist smaller include casting on less stitches, then increasing at the hand; working an even tighter stitch around the wrist, like cables; or using a smaller-size needle when working the wrist stitches. These are usually unnecessary, though, and add needless complication to most simple designs.

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If you’ve knit more than an inch in your cuff, and the size seems too tight or too loose, fix it. I once knit an entire mitten that was too tight because I didn’t want to rip back two inches and start again. I kept stretching it and telling myself, “It will work.” Before you rip it out, though, figure out how much bigger or smaller it needs to be, then use the knitting swatch you’ve just made (the failed cuff) to determine how many more or less stitches you need to cast on.

Work your chosen cuff to your desired length. Two to three inches is average. Now, we’ll move on to the hand and thumb gusset.

Switch to stockinette (or whatever stitch pattern you’re using for the hand) and work even for about 1/4” (in worsted weight, this is only about 2 rounds or rows). Now, it’s time to begin the thumb gusset. We’re only going to cover a basic triangle-shaped gusset in this article. There are other types, but this

one is very easy and so mathematically lovely.

Basically, a thumb gusset is just a little extra space

increased into the hand to accommodate the extra width of the base of the thumb. The wonderful thing about it is that all these stitches we’re adding will be used in the thumb itself. The hand is amazingly proportionate.

You can, if you like, place the thumb gusset exactly between the palm and back of hand. This works just fine if you’re knitting a stockinette hand in the round. But, any time that you’re going to have a seam (like when working flat) or a motif on the back of hand that needs to be centred when the mitten is worn, you’ll need to offset the thumb gusset more towards the palm. That way, when the mittens are on actual hands, and the natural position of the thumb pulls your mittens off centre, you won’t be frustrated by a seam that’s on the back of your hand or a picture that is suddenly in the wrong position.

Offsetting the thumb gusset is simple. It should begin about 1/2” towards the palm. Mathematically, this means that you’ll have half your stitches used for your back of hand (BOH), and half for your palm. If you’re knitting in the round and you’ve divided your stitches in two halves, the places where your palm and BOH stitches meet will be between needles,

and they are the side-of-hand spots. Designate one end as your outside of hand, and one end as the inside of hand (near the thumb). If you’re knitting flat, the inside of hand will be at the halfway mark in your piece; the seam will be sewn down the outside of hand.

Now, at the inside-of-hand spot, decide which hand you’re working on (ie, which half is for the palm), and place a marker about 1/2” away from the inside of hand on the palm side. This is where you’ll begin increasing for the thumb gusset. (See diagrams, above.)

The thumb gusset is basically a triangle of increases worked gradually into the fabric. Begin by making one stitch in the designated thumb-gusset start area. (If you’re working flat, all the increases will be worked on right-side rows.)

Every other row, increase one stitch on either side of the stitch(es) you made. You can use stitch markers to guide you here if you’re not used to reading your knitting yet. You’ll basically place the markers on either side of the first stitch you increased, and those markers will bracket outside all your subsequent

Back of Hand

Palm

Side of HandSide of Hand

Thumb Gusset start (left-hand mitten)

Thumb Gusset start (right-hand mitten)

Back of HandOutside of Hand (Seam)

Outside of Hand (Seam)

Inside of Hand (Halfway mark)

Thumb Gusset start (if this were a right-hand mitten, the Palm and BOH would be reversed)

Thumb Gusset start (left-hand mitten)

Palm

Knitting In the Round Knitting Flat

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increases. (See chart on the following page for a visual.)I like to mirror my pairs of increases (remember, after that first increase, we’ll be working one increase on each side of the triangle we’re building). I have them lean in towards the gusset. Again, see the chart for a visual.

Keep increasing the size of the gusset in this manner until the number of stitches increased equals just less than half of the mitten stitches. For example, if your mitten has 32 sts, half would be 16. Our gusset has an odd number of stitches, so we would stop increasing once we reach 15 sts in the gusset. If your mitten had 30 sts, half would be 15, but we’d stop the gusset at 13 sts.

Once your gusset is big enough, finish your row or round. The next time you come back to your gusset, put all 15 (or whatever)

stitches on a piece of waste yarn and keep knitting the hand. (Alternatively, you

could put all the hand sts on a piece of waste yarn and work the thumb first.)

The hand is worked straight until it’s an inch or so away from the tip of your middle finger. The easiest way to decrease the hand is to work it like the top of a hat. Divide your stitches into 6 equal sections. If you can’t get an even number no matter how you divide it, just leave the extra stitch or two at the end of the last section. Let’s use our 32-stitch mitten as an example:

32 divided by 6 is 5 plus 2 extra stitches. So, we’ll have six sections of 5 stitches each, plus 2. Each section needs to have knit stitches plus a k2tog at its end. Because the section is five stitches long, we’ll have to knit 3, then knit 2 together. We’ll do that for each of the six sections until we get to our last two stitches, then we’ll just k2tog.

We’ll work a round plain. (If you’re knitting flat, the decreases will be on the right side, and the plain rows will be purled.) Then, we’ll work our next

decrease round or row. Since we decreased one stitch from each section, we now have only four stitches per section. So we’ll work k2, k2tog six times. Now we’re at that last pesky stitch that still doesn’t fit in. We could either switch the last k2tog to a k3tog to get rid of it, or we could ignore it completely. It’s just one stitch.

Then we’ll work the next round/row plain, do another decrease round (eliminating 1 knit st from each section every time), and keep going like that until our last decrease round is just k2tog for each section. After the k2tog’s, cut a 6” tail of yarn, draw it through the remaining stitches, pull it tight, and sew in the end. Fingers: done.

Now we’ll head back to the thumb stitches which, up until this point, we’ve been ignoring. Put the stitches back on your needles and remove the waste yarn. You can work the thumb either flat or in the round, according to your preference. Simply join the yarn and start knitting. (Leave a tail that’s 6-8” long; you’ll use that later to sew the tiny gap

Note: To make a left-leaning increase (M1L), insert the tip of your left needle under the running stitch (the horizontal bar of yarn that connects the stitches on either needle) from front to back. Knit it through the back loop (this keeps your increase from making a hole). (It can be tricky to pick up the back of the stitch because it will be tight. Try grabbing it from the front first, then sliding your right needle tip up and over the left needle until it’s in the back loop.)

To make a right-leaning increase (M1R), insert the tip of your left needle under the running stitch from back to front. Knit it through the front loop. (This will also be tight, since the front loop will be made from the left leg of the stitch instead of the right. Try bringing your two needles closer together so the stitch has no tension in it, then gently wiggle your right needle tip through, as you would for a knit stitch. Use a fingertip to keep the stitch from falling off the needle when you do this.

If you’re having trouble viewing the chart online, it will look just fine printed out.

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between the thumb and hand.)

Work the thumb straight until it measures halfway up your thumbnail. Then decrease it, similarly to the way you decreased the hand, but more dramatically: work k1, k2tog around (and if there’s an extra stitch, just knit it), then work one round/row plain, then k2tog all the way around, and you’re done. Cut the yarn, draw the tail through the remaining stitches and pull tight, and sew in the ends. If you’ve worked your mitten flat, now is the time to sew the side seams on the hand and the thumb.

Can you believe it? You just made a mitten! Now you can make mitten number two, remembering to place the thumb gusset in a position mirrored to the first one.

Now, you might be asking the question, This is all well and good for making mittens for myself, but how do I size mittens for people who aren’t here?

This is an interesting problem. You see, most standard body measurements can be found online somewhere; the Craft Yarn Council website has a great list there. But there’s nothing about standard hand circumferences or finger and hand lengths. I did find an image in the public domain on Wikipedia, which I’ve included here for your reference.

The general rule of thumb (haha) is that you can divide a hand into thirds. The total length of the hand, starting from the wrist, would be made of three parts, each about the length of the thumb. (My

fingers are a little longer and don’t fit into the last third, so it’s not an exact science.) The same is true for a child’s hand, although they’re generally a little wider proportionally.

Your best bet, then, is to get a tracing and measurement of the mitten recipient’s hand. Or to note the differences between your own hand and theirs, and then knit accordingly.

Good luck, and happy knitting.

For your reference, I have measured the hands of some average-sized kids I know in case you need concrete numbers to knit for children.

Age Circumference Length Worsted Cast On # of Sts (4.5 sts per inch)

Thumb Gusset Sts

10 years 7” 6 1/2” 32 159 years 6 1/4” 6” 28 138 years 6” 5 1/2” 26 or 28 11 or 136 years 5 3/4” 5” 24 or 26 11 3 years 5 1/4” 4 1/4” 22 or 24 9 or 1112-18 months 4 1/2” 3 1/2” 20 9

As you can see, the ten-year-old’s hand is almost the size of an adult’s, so if you’re knitting for a teenager, you should be able to knit a size that would fit your own hand.

The copyright for each article in The Tangled Skein belongs to its respective author. Do not reprint or redistribute anywhere else without the author’s express permission.

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Show & TellSeptember 2013Photos By Suzanne LesageText By Amanda Schwabe

Julia YeungleftHallgrim HatSource: InterweaveYarn: Superwash merinoNotes: She was “so effusive in my praise on Ravelry that the author messaged me to say thank you.”

rightBaby SweaterSource: InternetYarn: Superwash MerinoNotes: Meant it to be unisex, but found girly buttons on sale.

Suzanne Lesagebottom rightFelted soapsSource: her brainYarn: RovingsNotes: On a trip to Croatia, she found felted soap and wondered, “How do they do that?” She went to Wabi Sabi and got a quick version of the class: wrap soap in roving and rub it until it felts. It works! It took about 10-15 minutes to do. Really fun.

She showed it to another knitting group and they said, “That’s cheating! You didn’t knit anything.” So she knitted a pouch and felted it. “You just knit too big and then you shrink it.” She made a little loop to cover an imperfection, but it’s perfect for hanging (so the soap doesn’t get mouldy from sitting).

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Jessamyn Lusignantop left & rightSocksSource: not givenYarn: Kroy & unknown.Notes: She made size 13 socks for her husband and had enough yarn left over to make women’s size 3 socks for her mom.

bottom leftDrop Stitch ScarfSource: RavelryYarn: Patons Mosaic from a tent sale at Wool-Tyme

bottom rightLuluSource: Knitting Everyday Finery by Mel ClarkYarn: Patons Mosaic

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Jessamyn LusignanleftEileen CardiganSource: Knitty.comYarn: Patons ClassicNotes: Added more lace. Still needes blocking and zipper.

Heather AblettrightAblet (an abacus knitting bracelet)Source: http://knittingabacus.com/Notes: Made with beads. Counts up to 99. Total coincidence that its name is the same as her last name! (She didn’t make it; she bought it online.)

Debi BrownrightHockey sweaterSource: Modified from another pattern to create what she wanted.Yarn: DKNotes: This one is full of errors, but she’s making a second one. Hockey Canada’s logo.

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Louise Manshipfar leftChild’s circular vestSource: Sirdar pattern booklet (ask at Yarn Forward)Yarn: BFL (Blue-Faced Leicester)Notes: Fits a six year old.

leftAdult’s circular vestSource: SirdarYarn: Picked her favourite DK’s: Wool, wool/silk/cashmere and cotton/silk.

Jeannie Grundyfar leftSnail HatSource: Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Without Tears, reprinted in Vogue Knitting Winter 2008/09.Yarn: exactly one ball of Thick’n’Quick

leftHats Off! hatSource: Hats On! book by Charlene SchurchYarn: BFL & baby mohair

Notes: Both hats are donations to the Government of Canada’s Workplace Charitable Campaign, to be auctioned off.

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Liane Thiry-Smithfar leftScarfSource: her sister-in-law, Paula SmithYarn: Jade Sapphire Silk-CashmereNotes: Her summer concert (Jazz Festival) project. Feather & fan, her second one; made the first one for her mom.

leftScarfSource: Grab a ball and needles and just knit.Yarn: BambooNotes: Another summer concert project.

bottomBowl/BasketSource: her own designYarn: WoolNotes: Crocheted and felted. No pattern, but made from experience with other patterns. She figured out the architecture. Probably for holding papers or yarn.

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Auriol Rapintop leftFelted SlippersSource: Canadian LivingYarn: JuliaNotes: Fall fair entry & winner!

top middleBack-To-School WashclothSource: not givenNotes: Fall fair entry & winner.

top rightHorse with garlandSource: from Toymaking with Children by Freya Jaffke?Yarn: not givenNotes: She wanted to say, “I won a ribbon for my horse at the fall fair!”

bottom leftFair Isle hat and mittsSource: not givenNotes: Fall fair entry & winner.

bottom rightChristmas stockingSource: not givenYarn: mohair & fun furNotes: Felted, fall fair entry

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Gudrun Klingelsteinfar leftHaruniSource: RavelryYarn: Fleece Artist Merino 2/6Notes: Nice beginner lace (her first lace project)

leftDraperSource: Shibui and RavelryYarn: 2.5 balls of yellow 100% alpaca and 1 skein of Malabrigo 100% merinoNotes: She loved lace so much that she made this in Uruguay. The yarns are souvenirs from her trip.

bottom BlanketSource: squares from now-defunct Canadian Master Knitting programYarn: Briggs & Little

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Natalie Servantfar leftMeander ShawlSource: Natalie Servant, on RavelryYarn: Handspun, odds & ends sorted by colourNotes: V-shaped modified feather & fan with lifted increases. Reversible, garter.

leftMeander ShawlSource: Natalie ServantYarn: Noro Kureyon Sock, 1 skeinNotes: Designed for yarn with long colour repeats.

Laurie ChochinovbottomRisti MittensSource: Nancy Bush, from The Knitters Book of WoolYarn: Fingering weightNotes: She has a friend whose dog ate the thumb of her last mitts (which Laurie also made). These are to replace them. “If she gives them to the dog again, she’s in such trouble.” They are made in the Latvian way, with no thumb gusset and traditional shaping at the fingertips.

remember,

Nancy Bushis coming to

Ottawa!

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Julie Stewartfar left and leftTwo Broomstick-Stitch ShawlsSource: her own designYarn: recycled and dyed wool.Notes: She figured out the broomstick stitch on her own; someone asked her how to do it, and she couldn’t find it in any book. The shawls were made as part of a challenge to combine yarn and silk in one project. One was dyed at the West Carleton Fibre Guild’s final meeting before summer break.

Belinda ForseebottomShifting Ribs ScarfSource: Natalie Servant, on RavelryYarn: Blue acrylicNotes: “Oh my gosh! You start with a tubular cast on!” Also features tubular cast off and left twist and right twist. She learned four new skills! Her husband asked for it, and the next one is already on her needles.

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Gen NielsenleftSweater Babe #144Source: Sweater BabeYarn: Berrocco VintageNotes: For her daughter. A-line, so hoping to get more than one year out of it. “Made size 6. Switched the reverse stockinette to straight stockinette. First attempt at pockets.”

bottomAngieSource: Melissa Leapman’s Knitting the Perfect FitYarn: Louet Merlin SportNotes: Made a size between a medium and a small and made it longer. Had to do math to change the lace repeats and make them symmetrical in her size. “Headache.”

Front Back

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Peigi DumoucheltopLizard Ridge AfghanSource: Laura Aylor, on Knitty.comYarn: Noro KureyonNotes: Five colourways from the outsides & insides of the balls. Short rows and I-cord edging. “Totally addictive.”

bottomYoked CardiganSource: Hannah Fettig, on RavelryYarn: Estelle SakuraNotes: Added length.

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Sheila Weinfurtertop leftBasic Top-Down, Short Row Heel SocksSource: Charlene Schurch, in Sensational Knitted SocksYarn: Patons Kroy 4 PlyNotes: 2.5 mm needle. Made three pairs.

top rightBolero & CapSource: James C. Brett, on RavelryYarn: Marble DK, 2 skeinsNotes: 4 mm needles. 18-month size. It’s an “apple-picking” sweater for her granddaughter.

bottom leftLinen Summer WrapSource: By Mags Kandis, in

Gifted: Lovely Little Things to Knit and CrochetYarn: Lana Grossa Divina, 2 skeinsNotes: Yarn from her friend in Germany. Made her this scarf for her birthday.

bottom rightLace TopperSource: By Lisa Akers, no longer available.Yarn: Patons Grace RosewoodNotes: Added cord to lace the sides closed.

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Claudia HowardtopEyjafjallajokull ShawlSource: By Anna Dalvi, on RavelryYarn: 100% Einband Alafoss IcelandNotes: She took a trip to Iceland at the end of May and decided to knit Anna’s pattern of the 2010 volcano eruption. Bought the wool in Iceland. It’s a lace version of Lopi. In Iceland, you buy wool at the grocery store (along with horse meat and tools, if you want). She spent about $20 on the Alafoss yarn at a couple grocery stores. It will be an heirloom baby blanket for future grandchildren.sides closed.

Louise MoorebottomShawlSource: her own?Yarn: Mohair & wool, possibly hand-dyed and handspun. A souvenir of her trip to Norway. (Read about it in the last issue of The Tangled Skein.)Notes: The one skein of yarn cost $60 “What is it made of? I don’t know. The lady didn’t speak either French or English.” No regrets on the purchase; it’s a great souvenir.To make it, she cast on 5 sts, then increased every other row by 4 sts.

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Kathy McEwentop leftMystic Delight ShawlSource: By Anna Dalvi, on RavelryYarn: Cascade 220 SuperwashNotes: Her second Mystic Delight, this one for her mom’s Christmas gift.

top rightGiraffeSource: Knitted Wild Animals bookYarn: AcrylicNotes: Liked it so much she made two. They’re for baby gifts.

bottomBennuSource: Ancient Egypt in Lace and Color by Anna DalviYarn: ArtByAna Merino/silk from last year’s Vendor’s NightNotes: She loves Anna Dalvi’s patterns.

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Amanda Schwabetop leftVilaiSource: Sock Innovation by Cookie A.Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll TweedNotes: Loved knitting them. The pattern flows beautifully.

top rightAdventure SockSource: By verybusymonkey on RavelryYarn: Cascade Yarns Heritage SilkNotes: They were challenging because you work four charts at once. Not tv knitting.

bottom leftEffervescentSource: Amanda Schwabe, on RavelryYarn: Debbie Bliss Baby CashmerinoNotes: Used the stitch pattern from her Grandma’s cardigan for the lacy edging. Was inspired by the spring colours.

bottom rightDress/topSource: her brainYarn: Knit Picks Swish DKNotes: Made for 3-year-old daughter. Inspired by Elizabeth Zimmermann’s February Baby Sweater in The Knitter’s Almanac. Used her principles of sizing to start the neck, then switched from allover increases to raglan increases. Worked the body as an A-line so it’ll fit as a top after she grows out of it as a dress.

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The End of the SkeinLast month, we asked you a lot of questions! Jana sent this in: “Reading posts on Ravelry and talking to fellow knitters, I realize that not only are we always optimistic and very social, but we are also excellent shoppers. What with so many fibre-related events in and around where we live, and events that call for a yarn crawl outside the city -- sometimes at great distances -- we are always, always adding to our stash!

So, I want to know how people manage their stash. Do you have a list of your yarns with the intended patterns that inspired the purchase of said yarn, stored in Ravelry and/or anywhere else? Do you have a wall of fame (or shame) where all your yarns are displayed in something like a bookshelf of some sort with the pattern close-by (use your imagination - mine is doing cartwheels!)?

If you get only enough yarn for the project you are currently working on, how do you do that without getting side tracked?

And how do you plan your year’s worth of knitting?

There’s the other side of this coin: it can be expen-sive to amass such exquisite tactile wonders. How do you manage the expense? Do you have to sell your FOs to stay afloat?

It will be sooo interesting to see your feedback!”

These are your answers.

Must say my stash got way out of hand, and when I realized that I would have to live to be 250 and knit every day to use it all, I realized I had to do something. The book The Joy of Less helped.

So, I opened every bin, bag, and box and looked at it all and found several

projects I had started and put away to pick up

something new. Some have been discarded (and I did survive the shame of not finishing that scarf, sweater, etc). The rest have gone into my UFO box. Still not done, but there’s a better chance now that they are all together. The yarn was then sorted into what I still would love to use and that which I really didn’t care about. The later got divided by type and given away to schools and charitable knitting groups (OKG and others.)

I sorted the rest by weight and have stored it in bins in a closet and in my family room.

My knitting consists of gifts, stuff for me, stuff to try new techniques, and charity knitting. Charity knitting starts in January and includes things for one of my favourite charity’s craft sales, and hats and scarves for the shelters. All have to be done by the end of the summer. All are easy patterns that I can knit in meetings, in the car, or while talking on the phone. Gifts typically start in September. Stuff for me also starts then, and, for the next little while, will come out of the UFO box and can be more difficult. I always have some simple charitable piece to take with me when I am going to a doctor’s appointment or some other place where I will have to wait.

As to expense of yarn -- I don’t smoke, I don’t gamble, I don’t drink more than one Scotch every week or so. I put all of the vice money that I could have spent on smoking, drinking, and gambling to knitting, and, in doing so, save a bundle on anxiety and blood pressure medication.Sandra S.

I am bad at managing my stash. I buy yarn without regard for which project it will be used in. This leaves me with many single-skein yarns. The upside is that I like small projects like baby items, hats, socks, and gloves.

My yarn is in large rubbermaids, in clear bags by type, but it’s spread around the storage area -- the only place my yarn is all together is on Ravelry.

The stash function is invaluable.Jeannie G.

I have a storage unit with five shelves and two double doors -- it couldn’t possibly be open to view since I share this space with the washer and dryer, and my husband does the laundry! Within the cupboard are plastic see-through storage bins and large salad containers to hold the various projects. I stopped buying yarn without a pattern in mind years ago when I came back to Canada with the equivalent of five green garbage bags full of yarn that I never ended up using and eventually gave away. Now, I buy only for the pattern I’m making, although I have enough projects stored for the next couple of years. I keep a running list on Ravelry and also organize my stash there. I also like to keep a mini list of the next ten or so projects taped to my desk at work where I can see it while I’m on the “job.” This list gets reorganized regularly depending on Christmas presents, birthday presents, or someone having a baby. I justify the expense of my hobby because I am still working and wear what I make to the office. I also make a lot of gifts. It’s a good vice to have!Sheila W.

Re: the question: You manage the stash!!!!????peace:Belinda F.

I was a bit intrigued by your request. It recalled an event for me which has special significance. Several years ago now, as I was beginning to make my own patterns and designs, I had occasion to billet Annabelle Dawson, who was then well knownin Toronto for her teaching. She was fondly called the Entrelac lady. After one of our Guild’s workshop sessions,

your words

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Annabelle suddenly announced that it was time for me to show her my stash and explain what I wanted to do with it. I reluctantly took her to my hobby area in the basement. I had yarn in cupboards and some in see through plastic stackable boxes. She was quite critical, as I expected. First, she said I didn’t have enough different colours to begin to design wearable clothing; I still hadn’t the courage to dispense with enough money to create a rich enough stash for designing. Secondly, she didn’t only suggest -- she said I had to separate my yarn by colour, otherwise I wouldn’t understand what I had to work with. So, I dutifully sorted my yarn by colour (I ignored weight as I had been told.) Then, I went out and bought some more yarn in glorious colors after deciding what weight would most likely be comfortable for me (double knitting weight). So, I have continued to add to my see-through stackable boxes (as well as their contents!). My significant departure is having two separate boxes for pure acrylic yarn used for toys and children’s clothing. Also, I do have some small amount of lace-weight yarn which I tend to keep in a separate place. Annabelle’s suggestions have served me well, and my stash is still quite well ordered. I know at a glance what I have. But, for the most part, I have no particular knitting plans for a good part of my stash. The different weights are not a problem. I enjoy being challenged to construct something from a combination of yarns that I have. I sometimes use multiple strands of yarn, mixing textures and colors, if I want or need heavier weights, and this offers the potential for creating super colour effects too, especially if one of the skinny yarns is variegated. The reality is that I make allowances

for the yarn weight since the overriding consideration in designing is the colour combination, unless the garment is

one colour. Usually, some combination of my stash

works, but sometimes I have to purchase a ball or two to add interest or simply to have enough yarn. However, I do reduce my stash. So, even though I remember Annabelle for her Entrelac instruction, it is her advice on my stash that really impacted my knitting!Elizabeth P.

After a heart-palpitating run in with carpet beetle larvae chewing through my favourite wool garmets, I began storing all of my yarn in ziploc bags in the freezer. (Kidding. I took them out of the freezer after a couple of days, once I knew the little pests were definitely dead.) Those baggies are all in a dresser in my office, sorted by weight and colour. I like to be able to open the drawers and see at a glance what I have, so I try not to stack things too much.

I also have a spot beside my chair in the living room that holds all of my “current project” yarn, in theory. I have to sort through it every so often because I don’t usually return it to the office when I’m done with it. When it overflows, I eventually get around to putting things away. But darn it, I like to see my yarn. It’s pretty.

That reminds me: I also have a cute little spot over my desk in the kitchen that displays my newest and prettiest yarns. It’s one of those bars from Ikea from which you can dangle hooks and flower pots. I have skeins in the flower pots and hanging from the hooks; I use the yarn as home decor.

As for how I plan my knitting, I rarely have a whole year’s worth of projects planned in advance. I’d say that projects happen as they come to me, as time allows, or as birthdays come up. I am selling some of my knitting lately, since I could use the extra money, so those take priority. It’s hard to make a decent wage from selling hand-knit items, though, so I only sell quick knits, and only for a high price. If there are people willing to pay the price, I’ll make it for them. Otherwise, I’ve got other things in my queue!

Very often, there are projects that have to go on my “someday” list because they’re just not quite important enough yet. Knitting to figure out my own designs or to sell an item comes first, mostly. But every now and then, my brain needs a break, and working on someone else’s pattern is a treat I indulge in.

I’m learning to have a little more self control at the yarn shop, too. I try to buy only with specific projects in mind. And if I don’t have the spending money, I know I have to stay away! Once I’m in the door, I’m in trouble. (The problem is that it’s so easy to imagine up a “specific project” when faced with a lovely skein of new yarn. Too easy.)

p.s. The best thing about having carpet beetles chew through your sweaters is that you have to sort through all your yarn! I found treasures I had forgotten about. I’ve been knitting a lot from my stash lately.Amanda S.

Next month’s question is

How do you use the internet in conjunction with your knitting?

Send your answers to amandaschwabe@sympatico.ca

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Ottawa Knitting GuildWorkshops with

Deb GemmellREGISTRATION INFORMATION

October 28, 2013

All workshops will take place at 30 Norice Street, Nepean, ON

Join Deb Gemmell for a day of learning new techniques. A specialist in no-sew knitting, Deb is co-author of many pattern books, most recently Need an Ac-cessory and Need a Plus Size Cardigan. The “Need a ...” books provide pattern variations on a theme, adapting to different yarn types and gauges. Deb and her sister Lynda run Cabin Fever, a full service business based in Woodville, Ontario selling yarn, patterns and organizing knitting events. Cabin Fever is also the source for Shelridge Farm yarns.

Come all day or chose a half-day workshop. There is a maximum of 12 students per session. Priority will be given to those who register for the full day. Reg-istration, with payment in full, is due by October 22nd. Registration includes morning & afternoon refreshment breaks. A sandwich lunch will be provided to those who participate for the full day.

Complete the registration form and return it with payment (please make cheques payable to “Ottawa Knitting Guild”) at the October OKG meeting or by mail to: Kathy McEwan, 43 Starwood Road, Nepean, ON K2G 1Y9

For further information please contact: Laurie Chochinov (laurie.chochinov@sympatico.ca).

THE WORKSHOPS

Monday, October 28, 9:00 – 12:00

V-Neck Top Down: 3 hours Beginner/Intermediate Level knitter

Put a V-Neck on a Top Down teddy-bear sized raglan cardigan. After knitting this small sweater you will know all the techniques necessary to knit a larger version. You will learn how to use short rows to change the neckline of any square necked top down pattern into a V or scoop neck. Imagine the possibili-ties. Based on the Baby V and Button Up Your Top Down books by Cabin Fever.

Supplies: DK weight yarn, 4.0mm circular needle (60cm long), 4.0mm double pointed needles, markers, sewing up needle.

Monday, October 28, 1:00 – 4:00

The Amazing I-Cord: 3 hours Beginner & Intermediate

I-cord can be added to many of your knitted projects. It makes a tiny tube which is incredibly versatile. You can work an I-cord cast on and cast off. You can add it to your garter stitch garments for a lovely finished edge, work but-tonhole loops, finish a hat with a tail on the top like a French beret or make ties on a hat with flaps. We’ll discover many more uses as we work in class.

Supplies: 50g of worsted weight yarn, 4.5mm straight needles and a 4.5mm set of double pointed needles.

REGISTRATION FORM ON NEXT PAGE.

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Ottawa Knitting GuildWorkshops with Deb Gemmell

REGISTRATION FORMOctober 28, 2013

All workshops will take place at 30 Norice Street, Nepean, ON

All workshops are 3 hours.

Name: _______________________________________________________

Email: ________________________________________________________

Phone: ________________________________________________________

Guild Member: Yes No

Check Selection

For Guild Use Only

Registered Waiting ListV-Neck Top DownOctober 28, 9:00 - 12:00The Amazing I-CordOctober 28, 1:00 - 4:00Payment Details Amount Due

1 workshop $35 Payment Received:

2 workshops $60 Cash

Cheque

Date:

Mail to: Kathy McEwen, 43 Starwood Road, Nepean, ON, K2G 1Y9

Registration must be received by October 22, 2013.